Fabric and method of making the same



FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 2, 1954 FIG.|

INVENTOR. 0/22 e/java M HL ATTORNEYS States Patent fiice FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 440,980

7 Claims. (Cl. 28-76) This invention relates generally to textile fabrics and method of making the same and, more particularly, to improvements in elastic textile fabrics and method of making the same.

The primary aim and object of the present invention is to simplify the making of elastic textile fabrics and to reduce the cost of manufacture of the same. Pursuant to this object of the present invention, the elastic textile fabric, made according to the present invention, is formed from elastic yarn which is initially highly stretched whereby such elastic yarn is of, relatively fine gage, the method of the present invention having the attendant advantages of working with fine gage yarn. Further pursuant to this object of the present invention, the method of the present invention permits coarse gage machines to the utilized to manufacture relatively fine gage fabrics.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved method of making elastic textile fabric from a composite yarn which forms a constituent of the textile fabric, said composite yarn being associated with other yarn to form said fabric with said composite yarn including an elastic yarn set in a highly stretched condition.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a generally improved elastic textile fabric and method of making the same.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In accordance with the present invention the elastic yarn is stretched and thereby elongated so that it is very much longer and of considerably decreased thickness than the length and thickness of the yarn in its normal unstretched condition, and is held in such stretched and elongated condition and in its condition of decreased thickness until after the fabric is formed. After the fabric containing such yarn is formed it is treated so as to restore its elasticity. The elastic yarn may consist of an uncovered rubber core or it may be of the type which has a textile covering thereon, for example Lastex which comprises a rubber core having a spirally wound nylon or other suitable textile covering thread thereon. Pursuant to the present invention, the elastic core whether of uncovered rubber or of covered rubber, is stretched to a greatly increased length, but it will be understood that while this high stretch is a characteristic of the present invention, as will more fully appear from the following detailed description of the invention, I do not wish to be narrowly limited to the specified degree of stretch or elongation except to the extent that such degree of stretch may be specifically described in the claims. Further, pursuant to the present invention, as hereinafter described in detail, the rubber core is held in its stretched condition by spirally winding on such core in its above mentioned stretched condition one or more layers of textile thread with the convolutions of Patented Sept. 23, 1958 each such winding in abutting side-by-side relation so that said abutting convolutions prevent the core from contracting in length until after the fabric is treated to remove said winding and the elasticity of the rubber core is restored by such removal. It will also be observed that the convolutions of each winding are complementary to the peripheral surface of the stretched rubber core for the length or extent of such convolutions. It will be understood that while the means for preventing the stretched and elongatedrubber core from contracting preferably comprises the spirally wound covering layer or layers, I do not wish to be limited precisely to this specific means for accomplishing this result, except to the extent which, may be required by the description of such means in any of the claims.

In the drawing which illustrates the best mode now contempltaed by me for carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a' fragmentary front elevation, on greatly enlarged scale, of a fabric segment formed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a greatly enlarged scale, of a length of composite thread formed according to the present invention with portions broken away to reveal structural details; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the textile fabric segment 10 is formed by associating the composite yarn 12 with other suitable yarn 14 in any desired manner to form said fabric segment, for example by means of weaving or, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, by knitting. The composite thread or yarn 12 comprises an elastic yarn or core 16 which may be formed of natural or synthetic rubber or any suitable plastic and which may be monofilament or multifilament as shown inthe illustrated embodiment, said elastic thread or yarn being initially stretched to substantially its maximum degree without rupture and set in said maximum stretched condition in the manner to be described in detail hereinafter. More particularly, the elastic yarn 16 is stretched and elongated to a length which in some cases may 'be several hundred percent greater than the length of the yarn in its normal unstretched condition, for example but without limitation of the order of 500 percent, depending upon the elasticity characteristic of the rubber yarn and the intended uses of the fabrics.

With the elastic yarn 16 in its substantially maximum stretched condition a pair of layers 18 and 20 of substantially inelastic alginate yarn is wound around the elastic yarn in opposite directions, the layers 18 and it? of alginate yarn being relatively closely wound for setting the elastic yarn 16 in its maximum stretched condition. It will be understood that the use of the two layers of windings 18 and 20, which are wound in opposite directions, achieves a balanced composite yarn 12. Thus the purpose of the layers of windings 18 and 20 of alginate yarn, which is substantially inelastic, is

to set the elastic yarn or core 16 in its maximum stretched condition for the purpose which will be evident from the description which follows. It is to be understood that the alginate windings 18 and 20 are wound around the elastic core 16 with the latter in substantially its maximum stretched condition and after said alginate of alginate fibers reference is made to thearticle en-r titledfThe structure v of. alginatefibers. by E. E..T.allis appearing at page T151 of the Journal of the Textile Institute, volume 41, No. 4 of April 1950.

After: the: formation of the composite yarn. 12, the. latter'isiassociatediwiththe yarn.14,.which.is formed of:

other. than. alignatefibers, inany conventional manner, for example weaving or. knitting, to form a fabric 10. Thus the yarns 12and 14 may be. manipulated to becomeconstituent elements of a. textile fabric of any desired. type, it being understood that the knit fabric segment 10 illustrated .is. givenby way of example only. Thus the' fabriciofafabric.segmentlfl is formed with the elastic yarn encore-16 setor locked in its substantially. maximum. stretched condition, it being apparent that in.

this: condition the composite thread or: yarn 12.Will be of arelatively fine gage and may thereforebe manipulatedv with facility-to-form thefabrie segment lit. The coma posite yarn 12. may be knit. or'woven. withouts. tension;

orwithout'substantial tensionso that the fabric segment 10 may be simply andfacilely formed usingconventional apparatus.

After the composite. yarn 12 is. associated with the yarn 14 to form the fabric segment 10, said. fabric is subjectedtothe action. of an alkali. bathtodiss'olve the layers 18 and 20 of alignate yarn and to permit. the;

elastic yarn or. core 16 to contract'while leaving-theyarn 14 unaffected. Any suitable alkali bath may. beused to dissolve the alginate fibers and the: following alkali bath is given by way of example as being a suitable solvent for such: alginate fibers. Thus the alkali: bath 01': solution may be formed by mixing 2%.: grams of soda: ash and. 5 grams of common: salt.in one liter of? waterywith the resulting solution. being maintained at a temperature of approximately 1.20 F.. during the dissolving operation,.the fabric 10 being immersed in such alkali; bath for a sufficient. time to dissolve. the alginate fibers to thereby permit the elastic yarn or .core' 16 to contract while leaving the yarn 14 unaffected. Thus: the fabric 10 is immersedina suitable alakali bath, which is a solvent for the alginate. fibers, to thereby render the substantially inelastic yarn. 18. and120 ineffective and to permit. the elastic yarn. 16 to stretch and contract normally inv response to the application and release of; applied stress, respectively. It will be understood that a yarn 14 adapted for association. with the composite yarn 12 is chosen which will. be substantially unaffected by the. action of. the alkali. bath which dissolves the alginatefibers; Thus any thread. or. yarn 14, which will be substantially unaffectedv by the alkali bath, may be utilized to form the fabric 10 in association with the aforedescribed' composite yarn 12. It will be apparent from the above that the elastic textile fabric 10, after being immersed in the alkali bath, comprises yarn 14 and elastic yarn 16 which will stretch and contract" in the normal manner, it being understood that the finished textile fabric will have a. high degree of elasticity and may be used in any desired application requiring the use of elastic textile fabric.

Instead of alginate yarn any other yarn may be used to lock or set the elastic yarn in its maximum stretched condition as long as such other yarn can be removed or made ineffective without adversely effecting the elastic yarn or the yarn 14 which is associated with the composite yarn to form the fabric. By way of example, acetate yarn may be utilized to set the elastic yarn 16 in its maximum stretched condition and the yarn 14 may be formed of nylon, the acetate yarn being readily dissolved in acetone without adversely affecting the nylon yarn. Accordingly, any suitable yarn may be used to set the elastic yarn in .its maximum stretched condition which can be removed without adversely affecting the elastic yarn or the yarn associated with the composite yarn toform the fabric.

It will be apparent that the composite elastic yarn 12 maybe readily woven or knitted on conventional apparatus. as distinguished. from av conventional elastic yarn which has to be woven or knit under a high degree of tension which puts a substantial strain on the weaving or knitting elements of the apparatus as for example, the needles, guides, and heddles and renders operation of the apparatus, especially in regard to the finer gages, very difficult. Heretofore it has been impossible or impractical to use conventional elastic yarn in fabric constructions necessitating relatively large lateral movement of the elastic yarn during knitting or weaving operations, and it will be apparent that such problems are obviously obviated by the use of the composite yarn 12. Accordingly, theabove described method is eminently suitable to form a two-way stretch fabric on a warp knitting machine in which the bar which is knitting the elastic yarn is required to have lateral motion over a plurality of needles. Pursuant to the present invention the composite yarn 12 is knit. or. woven with little or no tension to thereby preclude thebreakage of needles caused by relatively high stresses. Since. the. composite yarn 12 is knit or woven with the elastic core 16 in its substantially. maximum stretchedcondition saidyarn will be elongated tosubstantially its maximum degree and will therefore be of relatively fine gage to facilitatethe knitting or weaving of. such composite yarn on relatively fine gage machines. Since the composite yarn 12 iselongatedto a relativelyfine gage, coarse gage machines, which are much easier. to work with than fine gage machines, may be utilized to manufacture relatively fine gage fabrics. The composite yarn 12 has a relatively'low. degree of bulk and can be knit with relatively large. loops to facilitate the looping operation, said relatively large loops contracting a substantial degree-on the removal or dissolution of the alginate windings 18 and 20.

The fabric formed pursuant to the present invention maybe used in, any desired application where elastic.

textile fabrics are utilized, for example underclothing,

stockings, girdles and the like. The use of the composite yarn 12 permits the making of relatively large loops whereby to facilitate operations on looping and sewing machines, etc. The fabric formed in the manner described. above will possess a great degree of elasticity, due: to the fact thatthe elastic core 16 is, initially elongated to substantially its maximum stretched condition whereby garments made from such fabric will have great constrictive power. Accordingly, the composite yarn 12. permits the use of coarse gage machines for making relatively fine gage fabrics and since such yarn is of relatively low bulk and fine gage, said yarn may be manipulated and worked with ease to form fabrics therefrom. Thus the method of the present invention possesses the attendant advantages of working with relatively fine gage low bulk yarn.

It has been proposed heretofore to utilize a removable thread bound in with the elastic thread or yarn and extending longitudinally thereof to prevent the elastic yarn from stretching during knitting or weaving of a fabric. It should be noted therefore that the use of stretch prevention threads is obviated in accordance with my invention by reason of the initial stretching of the elastic yarn to. the extent described above thus eliminating or greatly reducing tension of the yarn on the needles of the knitting machine without however increasing the thickness of the yarn as in the previously proposed method involving the use of stretch-limiting threads or yarn.

While the composite yarn 12 has been described as being of relatively fine gage, it. will be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to form an elastic textile fabric using a composite yarn, of any desired gage and that accordingly unless otherwise specified in the claims, the present invention is not limited to the formation and use of yarn of fine gage. While the elastic yarn 16 is shown as an uncovered yarn, it is to be understood that said yarn may be a textile covered elastic yarn, for example Lastex" yarn which comprises a rubber core on which nylon or other textile thread is wound and covers said core, in which case the windings 18 and 20 are wound around the Lastex yarn with the latter in substantially its maximum stretched condition in the manner described above in detail. The alginate windings 18 and 20 are wound spirally on the core 16 with the adjacent convolutions of said spiral windings being in close abutting side-by-side relation on said core to thereby prevent the latter from contracting.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

l. A composite yarn for use in producing an elastic fabric, comprising an inner elastic core in a stretched elongated condition, and means for releasably holding said core in said stretched and elongated condition comprising a substantially inelastic yarn wound spirally on said core with the adjacent convolutions of said spirally wound yarn in close abutting side-by-side relation on said core and uniformly disposed relative to the latter and in direct contact with the entire periphery thereof for the extent of said convolutions, whereby to prevent said core from contracting, said spirally wound yarn being removable from said elastic core by a fluid to which said elastic core is inert whereby the elasticity of said core may be restored by subjecting a fabric containing said yarn to the action of said fluid.

2. A method of making a composite yarn of the character described, comprising stretching and thereby elongating an elastic yarn to a length several hundred percent greater than the length of said elastic yarn in its normal unstretched condition, and spirally winding on said elongated yarn a substantially inelastic yarn with the convolutions thereof in adjacent side-by-side relation. and uniformly disposed relative to said elastic yarn and in direct contact with the entire periphery thereof for the extent of said convolutions whereby to prevent substantial contractions of said elongated yarn and to hold the latter under tension in said stretched condition thereof.

3. A method of making elastic textile fabric, comprising the steps of preparing a composite yarn by winding a substantially inelastic alginate yarn around an elastic yarn in its substantially maximum stretched condition with the convolutions thereof disposed in direct contact with the peripheral surface of said elastic yarn for the length of said convolutions for setting said elastic yarn in said stretched condition, associating said composite yarn with yarn other than alginate yarn to form a fabric with said elastic yarn in said set condition, and thereafter treating said fabric to render said alginate yarn ineffective and to permit said elastic yarn to contract to an unstretched condition while leaving said other yarn substantially unaffected.

4. A method of making elastic textile fabric, comprising the steps of preparing a composite yarn by winding a pair of layers of substantially inelastic yarn around elastic yarn in a stretched condition in opposite directions with the convolutions thereof in adjacent side-by-side relation and uniformly disposed relative to said elastic yarn for the extent of said convolutions whereby to prevent substantial contractions of said stretched elastic yarn and to hold the latter under tension in said stretched condition thereof, associating said composite yarn with other yarn to form a fabric with said elastic yarn in said set condition, and thereafter treating said fabric to render said inelastic yarn ineffective and to permit said elastic yarn to stretch and contract in response to the application and release of applied stress, respectively.

5. A composite yarn for use in producing an elastic fabric, comprising an inner elastic core in a stretched elongated condition, and means for releasably holding said core in said stretched and elongated condition comprising a pair of superposed layers of substantially inelastic yarn wound spirally on said core in opposite directions with the adjacent convolutions of said spirally wound yarn in close abutting side-by-side relation on said core and uniformly disposed relative to the latter and in direct con tact with the entire periphery thereof for the extent of said convolutions, whereby to prevent said core from contracting, said spirally wound yarn being removable from said elastic core to permit the latter to contract to its initial unstretched condition.

6. A method ofmaking elastic textile fabric, comprising the steps of stretching an elastic yarn to its substantially maximum stretched condition thus rendering said yarn further inextensible, forming a composite yarn by winding a substantially inelastic yarn around said elastic yarn in its substantially stretched and inextensible condition with the convolutions thereof disposed in direct contact with the peripheral surface of said elastic yarn for the length of said convolutions for setting said elastic yarn in said stretched and inextensible condition, associating said composite yarn with other yarn to form a fabric, and thereafter treating said fabric to render said inelastic yarn ineffective and to permit said elastic yarn to contract to an unstretched condition while leaving said other yarn substantially unaffected.

7. A composite yarn for use in producing an elastic fabric, comprising an inner elastic core elongated to its maximum stretched condition, and means for releasably holding said core in said maximum stretched and elongated condition comprising an inelastic yarn wound spirally on said core with the adjacent convolutions of said spirally wound yarn in close abutting side-by-side relation on said core with the adjacent convolutions of said spirally wound yarn in close abutting side-by-side relation on said core and uniformly disposed relative to the latter and in direct contact with the entire periphery thereof for the extent of said convolutions, whereby to prevent said core from contracting or expanding, said composite yarn being devoid of a stretch limiting thread and said spirally wound yarn being removable from said core to permit the latter to contract to its initial unstretched condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,157,463 Shepherd May 9, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 134,282 Australia Sept. 14, 1949 502,945 Canada May 25, 1954 502,946 Canada May 25, 1954 655,613 Great Britain July 25, 1951 678,507 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1952 

